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4.58 from 50 reviews
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This Coleslaw recipe is crunchy, light and full of flavor! Easily made with a pre-shredded cabbage mix and tossed in creamy cilantro lime coleslaw dressing. This homemade coleslaw is the perfect side dish for summer parties, potlucks and barbecues.
Coleslaw is one of those popular and easy side dishes everyone is familiar with. I must admit that I used to avoid coleslaw as much as possible. Every time I thought of coleslaw, the image of mayonnaise drenched, boring and borderline tasteless supermarket cole slaw came to mind.Boy was I wrong!
This homemade Coleslaw has so much flavor! Cilantro Lime Coleslaw is refreshing, tangy, crunchy and a great topping for tacos and burgers. Coleslaw is also a great side dish to serve any time! Try it with this Tequila Lime Chicken or these easy and juicy Oven Baked Pork Chops!
Coleslaw Recipe Ingredients
Slaw Mix
- Coleslaw Mix: This is my favorite shortcut for when I am feeling a bit lazy in the kitchen (so like every summer day). Feel free to make your own mix with green and purple cabbage and some shredded carrots.
- Green Onions: Scallions add a nice fresh little bite to this delicious Mexican slaw.
- Jalapenos: Seeded, deveined and chopped. If you want a little heat use serranos.
Coleslaw Dressing Ingredients
- Sour Cream: I prefer full fat.
- Mayonnaise: Use your favorite brand.
- Lime Zest and Juice: Fresh limes make all the difference!
How To Make Creamy Cilantro Lime Cole Slaw
- Make The Slaw Dressing: Make the creamy coleslaw dressing by mixing sour cream, mayonnaise, freshly squeezed lime juice and the zest of a lime. Season it with salt and pepper to your taste.
- Mix The Veggies: Toss the coleslaw mix, green onions, jalapenos and cilantro in a bowl.
- Toss and Serve: Toss the cabbage mix with the creamy coleslaw dressing. Serve or refrigerate for later use.
You have questions? We have answers!
Can I make my own Coleslaw mix at home?
Of course! For this recipe you will need 6 to 7 cups of shredded cabbage and 1 carrot. You can use green cabbage or a combination of green and purple cabbage.
How Do I Make Homemade Coleslaw?
To make your own cabbage mix, you can use a mandolin or a food processor fitted with the shredder blade. Both the mandolin and the food processor make the whole process easier, quicker and produce nice thin shreds. You can also chop the cabbage with a sharp knife. The cabbage will have a bit more texture.
Can I make Cole Slaw ahead of time?
Yes, although coleslaw is crispier eaten a couple of hours after is made, this Creamy Cilantro Lime Coleslaw will keep refrigerated for up to 2 days.
It is also a good idea to make the coleslaw dressing 2 to 3 days in advance and to toss the slaw together with the dressing about an hour before serving. This guarantees a crunchy texture.
Can I freeze Coleslaw?
I don’t recommend freezing coleslaw. Raw cabbage doesn’t hold well in freezing temperatures.
Cilantro Lime Coleslaw Recipe Tips
- If time permits, it’s a good idea to mix the coleslaw with the dressing one hour before serving, this way the flavors have time to develop and meld together.
- If you despise cilantro, use fresh parsley!
- If you want the dressing to be slightly sweet, feel free to add 2 tablespoons of honey to the coleslaw dressing.
- You can use plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, if preferred.
- Add additional veggies to your coleslaw by adding thinly sliced bell peppers, avocado or by using half coleslaw mix and half broccoli slaw.
- Add some crunch by adding pepitas, sunflower seeds or pistachios.
- One of my readers suggested that if using a food processor to cut the cabbage, to use the slicer blade rather than the shredder if you prefer long shreds.
Serve this Coleslaw recipe with these delicious dishes:
- Blackened Fish Tacos
- Instant Pot Pulled Pork
- BBQ Ribs in the Oven (Bourbon Peach BBQ Sauce)
- Pressure Cooker Ribs
- London Broil Recipe
- Baked Beef Ribs
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4.58 from 50 reviews
Creamy Cilantro Lime Coleslaw
By: Chef Kathy McDaniel
This Coleslaw recipe is crunchy, light and full of flavor! Easily made with a pre-shredded cabbage mix and tossed in creamy cilantro lime coleslaw dressing. This homemade coleslaw is the perfect side dish for summer parties, potlucks and barbecues.
Prep: 10 minutes minutes
Cook: 0 minutes minutes
Total Time 10 minutes minutes
Servings 6 servings
Ingredients
For the Slaw
- 16 ounces coleslaw mix * see notes
- 3 green onions, sliced
- 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
- 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
For the Slaw Dressing
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- Zest and juice of 1 lime (you want about 2 tablespoons of lime juice)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
To Make the Slaw Dressings
In a small bowl, whisk the sour cream, mayonnaise, lime zest and juice and season with salt and ground black pepper. Set aside.
Mix
Place the slaw ingredients in a large bowl. Pour the slaw dressing and toss to combine. Adjust seasoning. Cover and chill for at least 20 minutes.
Video
Chef’s Tips
- To make your own homemade coleslaw mix, you will need 6 to 7 cups of shredded cabbage and 1 carrot shredded.
Nutrition
Calories: 188kcal (9%)Carbohydrates: 6g (2%)Protein: 1g (2%)Fat: 17g (26%)Saturated Fat: 4g (25%)Cholesterol: 17mg (6%)Sodium: 148mg (6%)Potassium: 183mg (5%)Fiber: 2g (8%)Sugar: 3g (3%)Vitamin A: 300IU (6%)Vitamin C: 35mg (42%)Calcium: 59mg (6%)Iron: 0.6mg (3%)
* Please note that all nutrition information are just estimates. Values will vary among brands, so we encourage you to calculate these on your own for most accurate results.
Course:Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine:Mexican
Keyword:Coleslaw, Coleslaw Recipe, Creamy Cilantro Lime Coleslaw
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Reader Interactions
Leave a Review!
MELODY HIGHMAN says
Excellent variation on the old standby. I’m calling this Mexican coleslaw. I added a little more cilantro because I like it punchy.
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Jody S says
This recipe is delicious and easy. I used mayonnaise and added Fuji apples and some cumin. Also, because i have a garden full, I used chives instead of green onions. Served over fish tacos. Delicious!!
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Kathy McDaniel says
Sounds fantastic! Thank you and happy gardening.
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Val says
Made this coleslaw recipe when I didn’t have enough cabbage to make another cabbage recipe. I really liked this recipe with the sour cream, jalapeño, & cilantro. I just happened to have all the ingredients so made as directed. Thank you for a yummy recipe!
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Roxie says
I added julieanned jicama and green apple. It was so good.
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Kathy McDaniel says
That sounds delicious Roxie! I LOVE Jicama.
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M.Pearce says
I finally found a creamy cilantro lime coleslaw! This one is easy and simple. I would like to have it with fish or shrimp tacos and this has been just what I was searching for to amp up the flavor and texture of my tacos. My family likes all things Mexican inspired, so I cannot go wrong with it…except they might want me to make it again and again! Either way, WIN! ????????????
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Kathy says
hahaha, yes! You will be making this again. Thank you so much for the feedback
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Anne says
I added cumin and a 2nd Jalapeño for an extra kick. Now it’s perfect.
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Cmf says
Just a comment on making your own coleslaw. I found it’s best to cut the cabbage with the slicer blade rather than the shredder. If you use the shredder it comes out like confetti. I prefer the long shreds.
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Kathy says
This is a great tip! I will add that to the Chef notes. Thank you!
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Cmf says
This was delicious! I used yogurt instead of sour cream And broccoli slaw mix instead of coleslaw mix because that’s what I had on hand. (I can’t recommend uncooked broccoli slaw, it was like eating twigs!) Served it with your tequila chicken which was also yummy, and brown rice. A memorable meal that my husband loved! I would join your site if I didn’t have to receive emails to do so. Maybe you could make that optional?
Reply
Kathy says
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it. I do enjoy broccoli slaw but you need to allow it to sit with a dressing or marinade so it softens. I only send one e-mail a week, maximum two on special occasions and most weeks i forget (oops!) lol
I know some people follow the site but I really don’t know how. Sorry.Reply
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